Tanah Rata

Tanah Rata is a town in the Cameron Highlands in the state of Pahang, Malaysia, and the largest town of the region. Its name means flat ground in Malay and refers to the relatively level site among the hills. It stands at an elevation of 1,440 metres and has a much cooler climate than the lowlands. The Cameron Highlands were opened up in the 1920s by the British surveyor William Cameron, and Tanah Rata quickly became their administrative and social hub, with tea plantations, bungalows and Tudor-style buildings from the colonial period that still shape the town. It holds the district council, banks, the main police station and the main hospital of the Cameron Highlands, a taxi station and a bus station with services to Ipoh and Kuala Lumpur, and many backpacker inns and hotels.